While Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies are nowhere near gasping their last destructive breath, recent shifts in corporate appreciation for them have waned significantly. Stockholders and stakeholders spurred more than a few publicly held companies to rediscover the benefits of eliminating unproductive labor costs—of which DEI policies and those hired to enforce them are not just unproductive but counterproductive. A culling that has left perhaps thousands of people with no other skills wandering the landscape like deadheads after Jerry Garcia died.
I suppose they could learn to code, hoping some ideological descendant of Joe Biden will find a way to make someone else pay their college debt. Whatever pursuit finds them, drive thru’s need staffing too; my suggestion is that they embrace this new old thing.
A young entrepreneur-genius (named Alexandr Wang) has taken a stand, provided leadership, and is triggering a new movement—sort of a back-to-the-future moment. Hiring and promotion based on MEI: merit, excellence, and intelligence. What a novel concept! Many (including Elon Musk) are jumping on this bandwagon and endorsing this breakthrough concept <sarcasm mine>, which was just the way things were in my youth. Little things like acceptance into medical school. Hiring and promotion. Back in the day, it was understood that the business of business was producing quality goods, services, and value, and deriving wealth from honest productivity.
Crazy talk, yes? The sort that Made America Great and could make it great again, assuming that’s something anyone would want.
